Blind or screen of thermoplastic material

ABSTRACT

A highly effective blind or screen of thermoplastic material having slats joined by flexible lands, which lands are provided with vent openings. The blind or screen preferably has reinforcing members joined to the lands and forming the means for suspending the blind or screen in a pendant position. The slats can be formed of desired colors and can be embossed and of a solid or hollow construction, and if hollow may have a thermal insulation therein.

United States Patent [72] Inventor S T N m MM m1 A mm m H N U U. U m mm m "M MW fg 353 2,281,031 4/1942 Francey........................ 160/231 [45] Patented Jmn'w" 8 4/1958 160/230 {73] Assigns: MTjobemkCompany 3,160,199 12/1964 Culpepper.................... 160/231x Wllton,Conu.

Primary Examiner-Peter M. Caun Attorney-Johnson and Kline ABSTRACT: A highly effective blind or screen of ther- [541 mscum mmwusnc moplastic material having slats joined by flexible lands, which 5 Cum Drawing g8. lands are provided with vent openings. The blind or screen preferably has reinforcing members joined to the lands and [52] US. forming the means for suspending the blind or screen in a pen- 160/231 E06!) 9/00 dant position. The slats can be formed of desired colors and 160/230- can be embossed and of a solid or hollow construction, and if 232, 237; 52/615 618, 309, 406 hollow may have a thermal insulation therein.

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HTTOIQ/VEXQ BLIND R SCREEN 0F THERMOPLASTIC MATERIAL Heretofore, blinds or screens have been made from bamboo strips or the like slats secured together by exposed interlaced fibrous cord. These have usually been of one color and have been time consuming in manufacture and the exposed cord had a tendency to weather and break and destroy the blind.

The present invention overcomes these difficulties by providing a blind or screen of thermoplastic material which can be of various textures or colors to provide suitable ornamentation. The blind or screen is formed of a plurality of slats having flexible lands disposed between them with the lands provided with ventilating openings. The blind can be made of solid material or can be formed by sheets of thermoplastic material having elongate cavities therein separated by lands and the lands in register and secured together.

If desired, elongate reinforcing members can be positioned within the blinds and secured to the lands to aid in supporting the blind or screen in a pendant position. Further, the cavities can be filled with heat-insulating material to retard heat transfer through the blind.

Another advantage of the present invention resides in the fact that by selection of the color and texture of the thermoplastic material and by suitable embossing thereof a mul titude of ornamental effects can be achieved in a simple and effective manner.

Also, because of the structure of the present invention, variations of size can be readily made as required.

Other features and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the specification and claims when considered in connection with the accompanying drawings in which:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view, partly in section, of a blind or screen of one form of the invention.

FIG. 2 is a view, similar to FIG. 1, of another form of the invention.

FIG. 3 is a view, similar to FIG. 1, of a further form of the invention.

FIG. 4 is a view, similar to FIG. 1, of a still further form of the invention.-

As shown is FIGS. 1, 2 and 4, a pair of shells l0, 11 of thermoplastic material are formed with a plurality of cavities 12, preferably elongate, extending thcreacross. The cavities are separated by flexible lands 13. The sheets are secured together with the cavities in face-to-face relation to provide slats 14 with the lands in register and secured together to form the blind or screen. Preferably, the slats are substantially wider than the lands.

A feature of this invention resides in the fact that the sheets can be molded, extruded or otherwise formed from variously colored and textured plastic material to provide a desired ornamental and decorative appearance.

For example, the sheets to be formed into the blind or screen can be extruded to provide a single color or a plurality of stripes of different color to produce slats of different color when the sheets are formed. As an alternative, strips can be made of differently colored or textured thermoplastic and shaped to form a slat with the adjacent lands. When the strips are assembled and the lands are registered and secured together, a blind or screen of the desired ornamental effect can be had.

Also, one or both of the sheets can be embossed with an ornamental design 15 on the slats as shown in FIGS. 2 and 4 to enhance its ornamental appearance.

As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, a plurality of spaced vent openings 16 are formed in the secured-together lands to extend therethrough. These vent openings are preferably elongate and provide for suitable ventilation when the blind is in use.

If desired, as shown in FIG. 1, a lightweight, heat insulating, filler material 17, such as foamed plastic, kapok or the like can fill the cavities forming the slats to prevent heat transfer through the material of the blind when in use.

To facilitate the hanging of the blind or screen, a plurality of reinforcing elements can be provided. While the reinforcing elements can be open mesh stri s cords or the like, they are herein illustrated in FIGS. 2 an as spaced tapes 18 which are stretch resistant and disposed between the sheets 10, ll of thermoplastic material. As shown, the tapes extend transversely of the cavities and are secured to the lands 13 between the vent openings 16. These tapes provide the means for supporting the blind in a pendant position, when in use, and resist stretching of the thermoplastic sheet under extreme heat. They are located within the blind and protected against damage from the weather and the like.

When the device of the present invention is to be used as a screen, as in the case of a room divider, the vent openings can be omitted, as shown in FIG. 4.

Under some circumstances, it may be desired to form the blind or screen as a unitary structure. Such a device is shown in FIG. 3 wherein a solid sheet 101 is extruded from a thermoplastic material to provide elongate slats 114 separated by narrow, thin, flexible lands 113. The lands have the spaced venting apertures 116 therethrough. Here the solid sheet can be made of various colors and textures of thermoplastic material and the blind or screen can be made quickly and inexpensively.

With the structure of the blind and screen of the present invention, not only can they be made to provide the desired ornamentation, but they can be easily made to the required size, and in a simple but effective manner.

Variations and modifications may be made within the scope of the invention and portions of the improvements may be used without others.

I claim:

I. A flexible plastic screen each blind comprising a pair of sheets of thermoplastic material, each having a plurality of elongate cavities forming slats joined together by flexible lands, said sheets being disposed with the cavities in face-toface relation with the lands in register and secured together, and a plurality of reinforcing elements disposed between the sheets and secured to said lands to support said blind or screen in a pendant position.

2. The invention as defined in claim 1 wherein there are a plurality of spaced vent openings located in said lands for ventilation.

3. The invention as defined in claim 2 wherein said spaced reinforcing elements extend transversely of the cavities and are secured to the lands between the vent openings.

4. The invention as defined in claim 1 wherein the outer surface of at least one of said sheets is embossed with an ornamental design.

5. The invention as defined in claim 1 wherein the lands extend horizontally and the tapes extend vertically and support the sheets in a pendant position.

522 33 9 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE CERTIFICATE OF CORRECTION Patent No. 3,5 ,091 Dated June 22, 1971 Inventofls) Robert Roberts It is certified that error appears in the above-identified patent and that said Letters Patent are hereby corrected as shown below:

in column 2, line l-2 'each" should read --or--.

Signed and sealed this 114th day of December 1971.

(SEAL) Attest:

EDWARD M.FIETCHER,JR. ROBERT GOTTSCHALK Attesting Officer Acting Commissioner of Patents 

1. A flexible plastic screen each blind comprising a pair of sheets of thermoplastic material, each having a plurality of elongate cavities forming slats joined together by flexible lands, said sheets being disposed with the cavities in face-to-face relation with the lands in register and secured together, and a plurality of reinforcing elements disposed between the sheets and secured to said lands to support said blind or screen in a pendant position.
 2. The invention as defined in claim 1 wherein there are a plurality of spaced vent openings located in said lands for ventilation.
 3. The invention as defined in claim 2 wherein said spaced reinforcing elements extend transversely of the cavities and are secured to the lands between the vent openings.
 4. The invention as defined in claim 1 wherein the outer surface of at least one of said sheets is embossed with an ornamental design.
 5. The invention as defined in claim 1 wherein the lands extend horizontally and the tapes extend vertically and support the sheets in a pendant position. 